Mawlana said that Rasulullah (saw) mentioned in a Hadeeth, Addeenu naseehah, that the way of Islam was about advising one another. He advised us to try to be truly humble in our journey towards Allah. We must pray for goodness upon others along the journey too, we must pray for goodness and a good end for everyone too, as that was also part of the suhbah and part of giving advice.

We are now preparing for that great gathering on the Day of Judgment, a Day in which all humans who had ever been created, would be gathered once again to face Judgment. We are preparing ourselves for that difficult Day, when we would be presenting every one of our deeds to the Lord of Heavens for Judgment.

Oh people, do you realize why you are on this planet? Do you realize the secret purpose of your creation? Do you realize the purpose Allah sent you His Prophets?

Oh people, run from Shaytan and its tricks and traps with the recitation of A’uzubillah himinash shaitan nirrajeem! Awaken from your slumber, your laziness, your heedlessness! Be alert, beware and be aware of your enemy and give your utmost concentration to your difficult journey ahead that will culminate in your meeting with your Creator on Judgment Day. Seek to understand why you are here and where you are headed.

Sayyidina Ali (karamallahu wajhahu), the fourth Caliph said, “Mankind is asleep, and they will awaken upon their Death.” One who is sleeping, cannot understand, cannot hear and cannot perform any good acts! So attend suhbah to learn, to know and to practice.

Who are responsible for awakening heedless people and sleeping hearts? Teachers in religion must understand their purpose and intention. If they just concentrate on condemning the practices of other Muslims, they will merely chase people away from Islam. Accusations and finger pointing does not bring people to understand anything. We are not prisoners in jail, said Mawlana, so harsh methods of teaching involving scolding, vulgarities with swear words, and beatings with sticks are not Islamic! Stop such methods of preaching! Begin at the beginning, from alif and ba’, said Mawlana.

Preachers must begin by awakening the sleeping students, for one cannot teach a person who is asleep!

Why are such preachers or teachers always grouchy and scowling? Why behave in this manner to your fellow believers? Do they not know that the people of the Fire are always like that? We have been ordered to be a smiling Ummah, for the Prophet (saw) said that a smile to people was charity. So do away with the scowling faces, and keep a cheerful and approachable look on your faces constantly, whenever you meet people. Respond to people’s greetings with wa ‘alaykum us-salam, welcome them warmly and do not be cold to people – we are your Muslim brethren, do not be harsh with fellow believers, as that is a bidaah.

Do not be a fanatic about your beliefs; do not try to show that your beliefs are superior! Do not justify your ideology by claiming that all others will be damned to Hell. Extremism is not part of religion. Harshness, extremism and fanaticism all remove the sweetness of religion from the students/followers and it causes people to leave the religion. Fanatics try to imprison Muslims within four walls of Haram, Bidaah, Shirik and Kufur, as if the entire religion revealed by Allah consisted of only what lay within these narrow boundaries.

A guide who mixes dunya in his teachings makes many mistakes because he is influenced by his selfish desires. Only a true ulama or guide takes his students to Akhirah. However, many people do not find such true guides, because they are not truly seeking to study real Islam that was brought by the Prophet (saw). They are seeking dunya, even in their pursuit of religion. People are mesmerized by those who hold PhDs and doctorates in Islam, and flock to learn from them.

Deviant sects with extremist ideologies are also in their sunset days – Mankind will abandon them and seek true teachings. Mawlana gave the analogy of a field of crops that had grown green and produced its harvest. After that, the harvested field would slowly turn yellow and wither away, even if the farmer watered the dying crops and fertilized them – it would not bring the crops to life again – their time had passed and they were never to rise again.

Deviant and extremist sects had reared their ugly heads in the past, financed (water and fertilizer) by money from the oil-rich Arab lands – Mawlana used the terms dinar (gold) to finance deen (religion), but now, even with money being poured freely to grow these extremist ideas, Muslims have begun to reject these false ideas, and are returning to real Islam.

Real Islam, as practiced by the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, is likened to a forest which had just gone through winter – all its leaves had fallen, it has turned brown, but it was still alive and able to regenerate, unlike the dying crops in the earlier example. Now, we have come to spring again – the trees have all turned green, they are growing in beauty and strength – while the dying crops (extremist sects) slowly wither away. No one can stop the true teachings of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah from extinguishing the deviant ideologies that were so rampant in the recent past.

So Mawlana said, spring has come, and it is here to stay. Fruitful trees, unlike crops, are made to last the seasons, so the Way of Haq will stand firm henceforth, while the Batil ways fade away. Batil can never overcome Haq, no matter how much water or fertilizer is put on the crops.

Mawlana reminded followers of all sects in Islam, that the other 72 sects are small groups, all forming a minority, none of which have the following of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, which forms the majority. Rasulullah (saw) said, “If my Nation were to split up, follow the majority, do not follow the breakaway sects.” Those from smaller sects may come for a discussion with the majority, to clear their doubts. Those who despite knowing the truth, still persisted in remaining in breakaway sects must be prepared to receive Divine retribution, just like what befell the Nations before us. It is easy for Allah to send punishment via the smallest of creations like viruses and bacteria.

Oh humans, you must know your direction, where are you headed? Oh preachers, you must know your direction too, are you inviting people to the Way of dunya or Akhirah?

We are in the end of times, the Day of Judgment is near, so many believers from the two billions Muslims have lost their sincerity, they are seeking dunya and its wealth in all that they do, they have left true teachings that guide them to Akhirah. Many Muslims preachers will follow deviant sects and promote them, if they are given monetary rewards – Mawlana said that so many have lost ikhlas (sincerity) in their lives.

Mawlana called out to us: Make preparations for the Day of Resurrection, you are about to be in the Divine presence! Ponder over it; you are going to be ordered to present your deeds to Him! Why are you chasing dunya, when you cannot own more treasures and jewels than Qarun did. And even if you did, look what happened to Qarun- he and his wealth were swallowed by an earthquake from Heavenly Anger.

Everyday, he is in suffering in his grave, and he will continue to suffer for eternity. Is it worth it, to seek dunya? Qarun was with Sayyidina Musa (as) only physically, by he gave his heart to Shaytan, and he incurred Divine Wrath! Mawlana prayed, “Oh Allah, protect us from following those who are astray!”

In conclusion, Mawlana said that the disease of this generation is that we forget Death. We are physically with our guides, but our hearts yearn for dunya. We forget that while we walk proudly on this Earth today, tomorrow we shall be buried under it. Remember, your destination is the graveyard!